March 2005
Introducing Pacific Rim
The International Mission Board's Pacific Rim region is
home to 3,000 people groups and more than 800 million
people. The region is comprised of the countries of Korea
and Japan; all the countries of Southeast Asia; Australia,
and the nations of the South Pacific. Diversity in lan¬
guages and cultures makes sharing the gospel a challeng¬
ing task.
Communist regimes, democracies, monarchies, sul¬
tanates and military dictatorships are all represented in the
region. Located in the Pacific Rim are the huge gateway
cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Manila, Seoul, Jakarta and Bangkok.
The region includes the largest Muslim country in the
world, the majority of Theravada Buddhists and the only
Catholic nation in Asia. Shintoists, Hindus, Sikhs, Taoists,
animists, secularists and just about any other ideology can
be found in the Pacific Rim. The strategic priority of IMB
missionaries is to engage with the gospel the 350 Unreached
People Groups of 100,000 or more population. These peo¬
ples represent almost two-thirds of the Pacific Rim's inhabi¬
tants. Currently, Southern Baptists are working among 200
of these people groups. However, this still leaves 150 large
people groups with little witness among them.
In Acts 4:31 the apostles, Peter and John were beaten
and released. Instead of praying for safety, they gathered
with other believers and prayed for boldness. In response,
they spoke the Word confidently and many believed. In
the face of such vast lostness, Pacific Rim workers need
partners who will join them in fervent prayer for boldness.
Join us as we focus our prayers this month for the
people of the Rim that many will be saved. Pray especially
for those affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami
disaster.
". . .your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little
ones should be lost (Matt. 18:14, NIV ).
1 PACIFIC RIM. Pray for eight Bible study groups that
I were recently started among a Muslim people group in
one of the countries in the Pacific Rim region. Workers
rejoice that 10 to 20 people are participating in each of these
groups and that they are meeting in the homes of new
believers. Please pray that these groups will meet regularly
for Bible study, prayer and worship, and that they will
grow and mature into churches that will multiply. Ask the
Father to raise up a leader from within each of these groups
and intercede for the new believers to be protected in the
midst of growing persecution in their village.
П
LENCA OF HONDURAS (LEN-kah). The Lenca team asks:
L "Please pray for the Alcoholics Anonymous group that
meets every Wednesday evening. G, the Honduran pastor
working with us, has begun to teach each Wednesday from
the 'Celebrate Recovery' material from Rick Warren, and
the men are responding. There are around 70 in attendance
each week. Please pray that God will use this opportunity
to open their eyes to understand the gospel and the truth
that they will only be changed by the transforming power
of Jesus. Alcoholism is a critical problem for the Lenca.
They are destroying their own lives and their families, as it
not only affects their circumstances each day, but is also
passed on as they teach their sons to drink at a young age.
We praise God for using this critical need in their lives to
open up this opportunity to share the gospel. Please pray
for G as he ministers each week."
П
CARACAS, VENEZUELA (kah-RAH-kahs). The Caracas
0 Deaf team has started a Bible study in Colonia Tovar on
Tuesdays. This is a beautiful little German town about two
hours from the city. Please pray that the Christian Deaf
who are coming will grow and be inspired to greater obe¬
dience. Pray that unbelieving Deaf will come and will have
receptive hearts to the gospel. Pray that a gospel-sharing
movement will begin there and that it will spread outside
of Colonia Tovar among the Deaf.
4 INDONESIA (southeast Asia). In a recent article, a corre¬
spondent reported that "on a nationwide scale, Chris¬
tians often feel hemmed in and powerless." In Indonesia, a
negative attitude toward Christians continues to grow.
Newly elected President Yudhoyono has promised to re¬
view some of the concerns of the church. Please pray for
him, as he is being pressured by Islamic clerics to move
toward Shariah Law (strict Islamic law). Ask that he will
recognize that his power and authority come from God
Almighty and that he will have the courage to stand up for
truth. Intercede for him to make his decisions not under the
influence of men, but under the influence of the Holy
Spirit. Pray for the church in Indonesia to flourish in spite
of opposition and increasing difficulties.
5 FRANCE (western Europe). Team Paris Central writes:
"Imagine thousands of citizens in Paris receiving colorful
and interesting pamphlets that direct them to search our
